European Union

Frederick Florin/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

News about European Union, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 26, 2015

European Commission says its proposal to accelerate efforts to creat energy union is important step toward unifying European Union countries and reducing dependency on Russian natural gas; proposal's most serious challenge overcoming fact that bloc's countries zealously guard their control over national energy systems. MORE

Feb. 25, 2015

Editorial assesses four-month extension agreed upon by Greek and European finance ministers, which will continue to provide Greece with much-needed money; suggests that deal will offer more time to design stimulus plan for the Greek economy that will allow country to remain in European Union; expresses hope that Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras will be better about delivering on his promises than previous governments. MORE

Feb. 24, 2015

Deep divide exists between American and European regulation of pesticides and other chemicals, resulting in flare-ups during trans-Atlantic trade talks; many chemicals that are banned or strictly regulated in European Union are permitted in United States; Swiss firm Syngenta makes atrazine, one of America's most popular herbicides, yet cannot market it in EU or Switzerland. MORE

Feb. 21, 2015

European leaders agree to four-month extension of Greek bailout, allowing country to avoid bankruptcy and its attendant destabilizing consequences for region; agreement stipulates that Greece will not receive 240 billion euros in funds unless it meets certain conditions, raising possibility of further negotiations. MORE

Feb. 21, 2015

House of Lords subcommittee condemns Britain and European Union for handling of crisis in Ukraine; say Europe failed to appreciate importance of Ukraine's relationship with Russia and that Britain did not live up to obligations in 1994 Budapest Memorandum. MORE

Feb. 21, 2015

Survey done by data analysis firm Markit Economics shows that continuing strength of Germany's economy and strong growth in France have led eurozone economy to perk up in February 2015. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

Greek officials will propose to eurozone finance ministers four-month extension to its current bailout program; proposal will not include commitment to honor memo underlying loan program, which many Greeks object to; it is unclear whether eurozone officials will find proposal acceptable until it is formally submitted. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

European Central Bank and its president Mario Draghi may be ultimate arbiters of fate of showdown between European Union and Greece over country's debt; bank's Governing Council must decide whether to help Greek banks stay solvent, decision that could be seen as general verdict on whether country's government can avoid collapse and whether country will remain part of EU. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

European Commission proposes plan to streamline rules for financial markets that will make it easier for start-up companies to raise funds from sources other than banks, with goal of encouraging Britain to see European Union as economic opportunity. MORE

Feb. 18, 2015

Editorial warns that only good option eurozone finance ministers have is to allow Greece a little leeway in debt negotiations, particularly given that Greek default and resultant chaos in euro system is distinct possibility; urges Greece's lenders, particularly Germany, to consider proposals made by Greek Prime Min Alexis Tsipras and Finance Min Yanis Varoufakis. MORE

Feb. 17, 2015

Meeting with Greece over its debt results in ultimatum by European creditors to proceed with bailout program or risk losing critical funding needed to avoid default; demand seems to entail part of plan to persuade Greek Prime Min Alexis Tspiras and Finance Min Yanis Varoufakis to back off from anti-austerity stance. MORE

Feb. 15, 2015

Op-Chart by Bill Adair and Maxime Fischer-Zernin rounds up some of the worst lies told in 2014 by politicians across the world, including claims made about Ebola, the Affordable Care Act and European Union. MORE

Feb. 12, 2015

Eurozone finance ministers exit emergency meeting with Greek Finance Min Yanis Varoufakis without resolving deep differences over country's bailout, terms of which government of new Prime Min Alexis Tsipras has rejected. MORE

Feb. 4, 2015

European Union opens investigation into whether Belgium cut special corporate tax deals, part of larger push against tax avoidance by multinational companies on Continent. MORE

Feb. 1, 2015

A man’s victory in a Paris court could set a precedent that Europe’s “right to be forgotten” ruling should apply far more broadly than originally understood. MORE

Jan. 30, 2015

Greece endorses six-month extension of sanctions against Russia, allaying fears that election victory of left-wing party would undermine Europe's efforts to pressure Russia over its actions toward Ukraine. MORE

Jan. 30, 2015

European Central Bank's bond buying program, scheduled to start in March, is intended to help eurozone's 18.4 million unemployed residents, but it could have unwelcome consequences; some people, industries and countries will benefit from stimulus more than others. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

Steven Rattner Op-Ed article contends debate over how to revitalize Europe's economy too often mistakenly centers on choices of stimulus or austerity; states focus needs to be on how to be more competitive in world markets, which can only happen through variety of policy changes, including regulatory reforms and controlling taxes. MORE

Jan. 28, 2015

Coalition headed by European Union arranges for three planes to drop off supplies like warm blankets and clothing to war-torn parts of eastern Ukraine, as part of $53 million aid program. MORE

Jan. 27, 2015

Win for Alexis Tsipras and his left-wing party Syriza in Greek elections underscores central tension within European Union when different countries in bloc have conflicting desires; Greece's voters oppose austerity favored by those in Germany, Finland and the Netherlands, and reconciling these opposing views is challenging task faced by eurozone finance ministers as they meet in Brussels. MORE

Jan. 27, 2015

Birmingham Journal; European Union officials are in process of determining whether Birmingham Balti, type of Pakistani curry popularized in British city of Birmingham, should be recognized as one of country's traditional specialties; question is particularly trenchant given origins of dish and current debate about immigration and assimilation in Europe. MORE

Jan. 23, 2015

The Upshot; nineteen nations in euro currency union face stronger pressures to lift their economies as European Central Bank stretches limits of its power with 60 billion euro monthly bond-buying program; bank's president Mario Draghi says structural change is required; many countries have been reluctant to spend more, preferring to hew to budget austerity. MORE

Jan. 22, 2015

With a $69 billion-a-month bond-buying program, Mario Draghi, the European Central Bank president, is unleashing the bank’s full money-printing powers. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

One-day meeting of European foreign ministers in Brussels concludes with call for alliance against Islamic extremism with Europe and North African countries and other Muslim countries like Yemen; European Union plans to appoint security attaches at diplomatic missions to increase coordinated counterterrorism efforts. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

AbbVie reports its all-pill hepatitis C combo treatment has been approved for patients in the 28 European Union member countries. MORE

Jan. 19, 2015

Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick renews company's effort to find a way to operate legally within the entire European Union, where many cities have banned the service in deference to taxi associations and political pressure; cites job growth and additional tax revenue that his company's expansion could offer Europe. MORE

Jan. 11, 2015

Ross Douthat Op-Ed column suggests that terrorist attacks in Paris underscore how France has arguably become nation that is more central to fate of Europe and West than any other; notes how challenges in France reflect those in the West generally, such as how to integrate growing Muslim minority, how to deal with extremist violence and how to balance needs of nation with those of European Union. MORE

Jan. 8, 2015

German Chancellor Angela Merkel pays visit to British Prime Min David Cameron; leaders hope that visit will help mollify those in Cameron's party who are demanding that Great Britain exit from European Union. MORE

Jan. 8, 2015

Eurostat reports 0.2 percent drop in consumer prices in eurozone in December 2014 from year earlier; report combined with already worrying trends of high unemployment, weak euro, and Greece's political crisis raises question of whether European Central Bank can head off downward price spiral; situation is unclear due to way lower global prices for crude oil contributed to prices decline. MORE

Jan. 7, 2015

Editorial argues that fact that 18,000 Germans attended anti-immigration rally held by group Pegida in Dresden underscores need for Germany and other European countries to integrate immigrants and to speak out against rise of racism and xenophobia; praises Chancellor Angela Merkel for taking strong stance against rallies and refusing to alter country's liberal immigration policies; suggests that European Union come up with common policy on asylum and immigration. MORE

Jan. 6, 2015

European officials issue stern warnings to Greece that it cannot leave the eurozone due to concerns that Alexis Tsipras, head of leftist Greek Syriza party, seems to be narrow front-runner in elections that will determine prime minister; Tsipras has vowed to roll back austerity measures and repudiate some Greek debt, which his opponent Prime Min Antonis Samaras says will lead Greece to default and exit euro. MORE

Jan. 2, 2015

New tax rules in Europe will raise tax on many digital content purchases like e-books and smartphone apps; increased revenue for governments could reach $1 billion; increase will be uneven in 28-nation bloc, where tech titans have moved for tax havens. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

European Union files trade case against United States, claiming package of tax breaks offered by Washington State to Boeing for its planned 777X jet violate World Trade Organization rules and give unfair advantage over Airbus. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

European Union imposes new sanctions over Russia's meddling in Ukraine by outlawing European investment in Russian-annexed Crimea; restrictions banning investment, trade and tourism do not effect Russia as a whole but show bloc's readiness to keep pressure on Russia. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

Daimler is setting aside 600 million euros, or $748 million, to cover potential costs arising from European Union investigation into possible price fixing by Europe's biggest truck makers. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

European Union's General Court reverses bloc's designation of militant Palestinian group Hamas as terrorist organization, straining relations with Israel; court's decision coincides with increased European impatience with stalled Middle East peace effort and with European Parliament's vote to recognize Palestinian statehood in principal. MORE

Dec. 17, 2014

Report by European Union election observers confirms voting fraud in Afghan presidential runoff election in June 2014 between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, suggesting more than two million votes, or quarter of total cast, came from polling stations with voting irregularities; election dispute was resolved by power-sharing arrangement. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

Mario Draghi, European Central Bank president, says at news conference that bank is determined to honor its prime directive of keeping inflation, now dangerously low, in check; Draghi and central bank have not taken concrete action to address inflation rate that it is near zero, but he offers assurances that more aggressive stimulus is coming. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

The Upshot; Mario Draghi, president of European Central Bank, faces problem of fighting inflation slump at a time that oil prices are plummeting; how Draghi confronts challenge will help determine outlook for Europe's failing economy. MORE

Dec. 2, 2014

Russian Pres Vladimir V Putin announces he will scrap South Stream natural gas pipeline, project seen by West as thinly veiled attempt to make Russia dominant supplier in Europe while bypassing Ukraine; cancellation is rare diplomatic defeat for Putin and rare victory for European Union and the Obama administration; Putin says Russia will redirect pipeline through Turkey. MORE

Nov. 29, 2014

European Union gives Belgium, France and Italy three more months to bring their budgets in line with legal requirements; decision is sign that European Commission under Jean-Claude Juncker will be sensitive to calls to ease up on austerity in Europe. MORE

Nov. 29, 2014

Eurozone inflation rate is slipping toward zero, even as job market remains moribund; consumer prices rose just 0.3 percent in November from year earlier, slipping from 0.4 percent increase reported in October. MORE

Nov. 27, 2014

Editorial praises European Union for plan to pump up investment in public works and increase small-business lending, but warns proposal is overly complicated and self-defeating; argues that insistence on maintaining balanced budget, even as economy weakens, risks continued economic stagnation. MORE

Nov. 26, 2014

European Union will announce plan to finance $315 billion in public infrastructure projects over next three years; most of money must come from private lenders. MORE

Nov. 23, 2014

European politicians, after years of mounting frustrations, are embracing symbolic steps to pressure Israel into more accommodating stance toward Palestinians; recent statements by European Union condemning violence and nonbinding votes in support of Palestinian state highlight marked shift in tone from Israel's largest trading partner. MORE

Nov. 22, 2014

Cecilia Malmstrom, European Union's new trade commissioner, says that she and American trade representative Michael Froman are committed to injecting new energy into stalled trans-Atlantic trade negotiations. MORE

Nov. 22, 2014

Mario Draghi, president of European Central Bank, remarks at banking conference in Frankfurt that ECB is planning new round of powerful monetary stimulus to jolt flagging eurozone economy. MORE

{"type":"article","show_header_text":false,"header":"ARTICLES ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION ","query":"(org=\"EUROPEAN UNION\" OR org=\"EUROPEAN UNION YOUTH ORCHESTRA\" OR org=\"WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION\")","search_query":"(organizations:\"EUROPEAN UNION\" OR organizations:\"EUROPEAN UNION YOUTH ORCHESTRA\" OR organizations:\"WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION\")","num_search_articles":"10","show_summary":true,"show_byline":true,"show_pub_date":true,"hide_thumbnails":false,"show_kicker":false,"show_title":false,"show_related_topics":true,"show_rad_links":true,"show_subtopics":true,"exclude_topics":"EUROPEAN UNION; WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION","more_on_header":"MORE ON EUROPEAN UNION AND:","alternate_index_subidx":"","show_thumbnails":true}